Wednesday, October 29, 2008

We lived in NY for quite awhile and The Met was one of my favorite places to spend a quiet afternoon. I was thrilled when my husband brought Museum ABC home for us to read. We also enjoy Museum Shapes, and look forward to getting Museum 123 and Museum Colors.

_______________________________________

Mo Willems never disappoints us. All of his books are very, very funny and remind us of our own children. That is probably why his books are popular with everyone.

My very favorite is the first Willems' book I ever read to my kids, Knuffle Bunny. We read it after a similar incident when my daughter's special friend, Piggy, got lost at the store. The sequel, Knuffle Bunny Too, is also charming. His next book, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, comes out in Jan '09.

Scaredy Squirrel doesn't like to leave his tree for fear that something awful might happen. Check it out. I think you'll love SS.

______________________________________

I've been reading McCullough's John Adams, and my daughter has been enjoying her own share of patriotism with this book:

This book is a great way to introduce your kids to some of the heroes of American History--even though you won't get a fabulous or completely accurate history lesson. It's entertaining to read over and over. Find it here, of course.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

One night we discovered our daughter had fallen asleep on the couch. She awoke in a very wet puddle. We spot cleaned and blotted. We sprayed carpet/upholstery cleaner on the microfiber, but the odor remained.

I did some creative searching online and discovered a forum with the answer to my problem.

The product contains special bacteria that attacks odor causing organic material. (i.e. feces, urine, vomit, etc.) You let the liquid dry overnight and it consumes the organic odors. It is perfectly safe for humans and domestic animals.

I looked in the pet section at a local store and found this to my liking--

I saw these incredible felted acorns on the little ant design blog. I haven't stopped thinking about them since I first saw them, perfect for gift tags or napkin rings or in a glass jar on the counter...

Hello! My name is Lindsey Johnson and I am so pleased to be over here at T+T this week.

A little bit about me...

I am a mother to three small children--a daughter who will be four next month, a two-year-old little boy, and a three-month-old baby girl.

A few months ago my family and I moved back to Utah, where I was raised, from Westchester County, NY, where I lived for 7 years.

I blog over at Cafe Johnsonia, where I post about my adventures in the kitchen--including recipes, tutorials/how-to's, pretty things I find, appliances, etc. My husband is my muse and taste tester. My kids keep me just busy enough to keep me from spending all my time in the kitchen.

My addictions:

-photography-homemade ice cream-pretty dishes (especially Spode)-cookbooks-spy shows (MI-5, or Spooks, as it is called in the UK, is my very favorite)-anything from across the pond (I'm an anglophile through and through)

While browsing the latest catalog from Land of Nod I came across this wallpaper. I think it would be such a fun addition to a playroom or child's bedroom, inspiring creativity and showcasing their own personal style and artwork.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

I've been waiting patiently for months to introduce to you the latest from puj. I've seen it, experienced it and firmly believe it really does simplify parenthood. There's nothing else out there that even comes close. It's new, fresh and innovative.

I've had two babies and bath time was a stressful experience with both. The big plastic tub was bulky, unattractive and not easy to store. Without the giant plastic tub, towels lined the sinks or bathtub, leaving me with extra laundry and sopping wet towels, the bottom line, there was no easy/convenient way to bathe the baby.

That is not the case with the new puj tub. It is made of foam so it's light, soft as your babies skin, easy to clean, dries quickly and comes in a variety of pleasing colors. It stores flat so you can hang it on the back of a door or slide it in your bathroom cupboard. That's convincing enough for me, but after watching the actual bath with a brand new baby (in the first week of life) I was completely sold. The tub cradles the baby, leaving them feeling safe and secure. They don't slide away from you. You can easily maneuver the baby and the tub fits in ANY standard sink. That's right no more crouching over the bathtub stressing your back, neck and knees.

The puj tub is safe and easy to use for infants 0-6 months, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Completely safe for baby and absolutely the best infant tub out there. available to purchase at pujbaby.com.

*Also worth noting, puj is currently running an exciting promotion. You can enter to win a $100 puj gift certificate for you and five of your friends. That's $600 in puj product!! Enter below and you'll receive a newsletter with all the details.

For the last four years I have been a mother to girls, I've had no difficulty in finding what I want for them, the styles I like, the "look" I'm going for. Finding out I am pregnant with a boy quickly opened my eyes to the lack of good clothes for boys. Simply put it is difficult to find the styles and the looks I want. When I happened upon babysusu it felt like a breath of fresh air. The classic styles and understated modern detailing provide exactly the look I've been searching for.

Inspired by her two boys Susu Nguyen Hughey designs pieces that are playful and fashionable while still functional using all natural fabrics like cotton, cashmere and wool.

I love the look of the old with the new...mixing classic fabrics and styles but tweaking them just enough to make them current. Like pairing classic knickers with a quirky tee...or a simple cotton twill pant with a reverse-seam cashmere sweater. To me that is fresh and playful and something that I would want to wear myself.

If you're hoping to add some of the amazing babysusu pieces to your little man's collection, you're in luck. By entering code TRUE30 at checkout, you'll receive 30% off your purchase. Now that is something to be excited about. Classic pieces, soft, natural fabrics and 30% off, it doesn't get much better.

Reader Annie sent me the link to this amazing etsy shop. Send pictures of your kids or your family and finali design will create your own personalized greetings. Perfect for the upcoming holidays or any time of the year really.

Monday, October 20, 2008

There is no better name for our brand than Tea. Tea, the drink, is shared in nearly every culture around the world-offering inspiration, warmth and mindfulness. In the same spirit, we offer children's fashions with the tagline "for little citizens of the world," celebrating the beauty found in cultures around the world.

Since having children, the Tea Collection has been my all time favorite clothing brand. Every catalog that shows up in my mailbox is devoured. Their clothes are perfect, their styling impeccable, the quality unmatched. Every Tea item Lily has ever had has been passed to Stella. It looks as good as the day we purchased it. They wash and wear better than any brand I have ever experienced.

Each collection is inspired by a different culture. They travel the world finding inspiration and providing you (the customer) with fabulous clothing you won't find anywhere else, with the goal of helping children see that we are all citizens of this world.

While Tea started in 2002 with only three pima cotton sweaters they are now found in over 500 stores and boutiques throughout the U.S. and abroad and have added lifestyle products including bedding, music and even papers (announcements and holiday cards).

Most importantly (and worth some serious excitement) today Tea is helping one lucky reader add to their favorite child's wardrobe. That's right, $100 gift certificate for the clothing of your choice. How will you decide? Will you go for the Daily Tea, or maybe Norwegian Elegance, perhaps you'll stock up on the amazing layette sets they have for the babes, no matter what you choose, I'm sure Tea will move right to the top of your favorites as well.

Would you love to win? be sure to:*enter one comment on this post - with your name*please only enter once*answer question above*entry will be open until 7am Friday morning (10/23)*winner will be announced Friday morning

**Extra Bonus: Order your holiday cards and enjoy $15 off on orders of $100 or more by using code MERRYTEA at checkout.

Friday, October 17, 2008

I have been waiting and waiting for these alphabet cards to come out, and they were well worth the wait. Illustrated by Mark Fisher they cover everything from Anteaters to Zebras. They don't show you the typical parts of the animals but rather the details. I've always believed the best is found in the details. The backs of the cards not only show a silhouette of the full animal, but also an interesting fact about each animals unique feature. Perfect for learning and for fun!